Stronger Bonds
by Nature9000
Summary: When Tori sees her sister auditioning on a show before her biggest idol, and a song devoted to Tori and her friends. Tori rushes to get to her sister despite her friends thoughts. As Trina auditions to set herself apart from the words that have defined her for years, Tori races to prove exactly where she stands, though the bond that was once there may already be beyond repair.


Stronger Bonds

Disclaimer: I don't own victorious

A/N: I'm just going to skip the intro and get into this oneshot. It's way different than I'm used to but I have to write it. If it doesn't get much reception, oh well, all I can hope is you the reader will enjoy.

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-THANKS-

Tori anxiously tapped the kitchen table while playing a poker game with her friends. Her impatience was great, since time was growing short. Her sister, of all people was auditioning on some show that the producers were granting family members with a live feed to the audition. She needed to watch, and her friends were keeping her glued to a poker game. "Hurry up Robbie," She muttered at the man taking forever to make a decision.

"Hey, winning takes time," Robbie smirked.

"It really doesn't," Beck scratched at his neck and exhaled at his friend, "Poker is all about luck Robbie. Most card games are, and I don't believe you're going to win against the hand I have." Tori rolled her eyes and lowered her cards from her face. Her eyes drifted to her father's study, and a heaviness descended upon her. Their dad had gone with Trina and suggested she go with them, but she chose to remain with her friends. She was embarrassed to say out loud that she hadn't wanted to see her sister go and make a fool of herself, but what did she know?

Her computer was already hooked up to the TV via an HDMI cable, and on the program's site with a security enabled password that allowed for her to view the live, blind auditions. "There's a big of skill," Tori muttered under her breath, "And there's no more time for this."

"Why are you rushing us?" Jade asked. The woman shifted in her seat and gazed down at her cards. "Relax, poker is relaxing." She didn't want to tell her friends about Trina, because she was afraid of what they'd say, and Tori had grown so tired of hearing them insult her big sister. Not to mention, she was tired of being a part of that, but she never knew how to defend Trina to them. "Anyway it's your move, Tori."

"It is?" Tori jerked her head back to the cards, her heart was beating heavily in her chest while her body was heating up. "Then I fold!" Jade raised an eyebrow as Tori threw the cards down. "I'm sitting out the rest of the game.

Andre gave her a concerned look and moved his hand to her forehead. "What's the matter? You feelin' okay?" Her eyes squinted and she pulled away, then rushed over to the couch. "Tori?"

"I didn't go because I wanted to play poker with you guys and now I feel like shit because I'm not supporting Trina…" Even their mom hadn't gone, which was terrible. The friends got up from the table and surrounded her, all looking at the computer as she grabbed the remote and turned on the television.

Jade cracked up and sat down beside her, "Oh hell no-Trina's auditioning for _The Voice?_ She's horrible!"

Tori extended her hand, shaking it at Jade. "Not now, Jade! Let's see how it goes." Andre crossed his arms and bowed his head, shaking it gently.

"The woman's going to embarrass herself. Come on, maybe we should just get back to the poker game-you don't want to see your sister make a fool of herself on that stage."

"Shut up. Maybe you should go home!" Her voice rose and her hair flew over her shoulders as she turned to glare at Andre. For the life of her she couldn't figure out why she apparently valued these people above her sister-she _never_ valued _anyone_ above her family until Hollywood Arts. "I didn't go because I wanted to stay with you guys-that's my own fault-but the least you guys could do is not say anything about her until this is over. Besides." She returned to the screen, turning her lips up into a tiny smile. "I've always heard her listening to Christina Aguilera and Shakira, so maybe if any coach turns, Christina will."

Jade's eyes flickered in the light and her lip curled into a smirk. "No one's going to turn for her sweetie. She's got no talent." Tori rolled her eyes and moved her hand to her stomach, feeling of the empty pit of nausea growing in her. It was the same sickness she got every time they said something bad about her sister-and in the past the only way to quell it was to join it-but that ended up making her feel guiltier.

On screen, she saw Carson Daly and smiled when she heard him introduce the next singer. As usual the screen moved to a shot of Trina walking into the building. With her was their father, Sinjin, and his sister, Courtney, and another woman she didn't recognize. Her heart sank and a jealous glare descended onto Courtney. She hated how she wasn't Trina's favorite little sister, but her future sister-in-law was. She used to be friends with Courtney, but that changed years ago, and it really wasn't too important to note, yet she couldn't help but feel the jealousy that the girl was there instead of her.

Live feed for the families was much different than when the show actually aired. When it aired there was a voiceover and all, but with live feed, none of that editing was really there. Trina met with Carson Daly, and smiled big as she shook his hand. "It's good to meet you Trina, or is it Katrina?"

"Trina is what I go by, and it's good to meet you too."

"Who all is with you?" Trina turned to her father and put a hand to his shoulder.

"My dad, my fiancé, Sinjin, and his sister Courtney." Trina looked to the woman and motioned towards her. "Also my vocal coach at the local college. I don't know where Mom's at, and my sister's too busy playing her poker game with her friends to be here." Tori's hand shot to her chest and a gasp drifted from her lips while her friends merely ignored the quip. "It's been a long road."

"So how long have you been singing?"

"Only for a couple of years, and mostly just with my vocal coach at the college. Unlike my sister and her friends, I actually have one-she's amazing. I've learned a lot."

"Is it something you want to do with your life?"

"I don't know, I always wanted to go into the police force like my dad. I tried to join the military a couple of years ago, but I had to withdraw my application. I was pregnant." Tori's jaw dropped and her chest tightened as her friends fell back into their seats, all shocked to hear Trina's words. When she saw Trina's eyes close and frown lines form at the corners of her mouth, as well as her father's face go long, she knew something must have happened. "I lost the baby."

"I'm sorry to hear that. Do you mind if I ask what happened?"

"Yeah." Trina brushed her hair back and took a deep breath. "A couple weeks after I found out, my sister and her friends got me into this play they were doing-someone cut my harness and I was sent to the hospital." Tori's hand flew to her mouth and she threw a glare to her friends, trying to hold back her anger at them. "It kind of serves as Dad's still trying to figure out who did it-since it was a criminal act-it is also why I'm here."

"I heard you were singing one of the judges' songs, it's a big risk."

"I know, but Christina got me through a lot these last few years-if only one coach turns around, I hope it'll be her. I really do need this, I need the money so I can buy my own place and help pay for my college tuition when I go to the university. My sister and her friends are a big part of this song I'm singing. Primarily all the turmoil they've put me through over the years-they're the inspiration for this song."

"Hey she's devoting a song to us," Beck said with a chuckle. Tori's face dropped and Cat slowly looked towards Beck. "It's nice to know we inspire her."

"I don't think it's a good thing," Cat remarked, "You guys are always insulting her or offending her. If she's singing one of Christina Aguilera's songs about all of us…"

Jade folded her arms across her chest and scoffed, "It isn't as if she'll be any good. What good's a vocal coach?"

"They teach you to sing properly…"

"Doesn't matter-_I_ didn't need a vocal coach. None of us did."

Tori's eyes shifted to Jade and the others, her lips locked shut and her eyes narrowed. "God my sister will never be good enough for you guys, will she?"

"No Tori. No she won't, because she's not talented like us."

She wanted to smack them all across the face, or perhaps to tear the heads off their shoulders. How _dare_ they say things like that about her sister! Tori looked back to the screen, her heart yearned to be where Trina was-to be supporting her. "She'll always be good enough for me," she whispered, "She doesn't have to be perfect…"

Trina stood before the stage doors, bowing her head and clutching the mic to her chest. Her lips moved softly and her shoulders rose. "Tori…Beck, Andre, Robbie, Cat, Jade…Mom…This one's for you. God I need a chair to turn-I need money for so I can start my life with my husband." She lifted her head and held her breath.

When she was ready, she pushed through the doors and walked out onto the stage, taking in the overwhelming audience. It could be one person to one million people watching them, none mattered to her so much as the four chairs with their backs turned to her. She eyed the chair next to where Blake was, this chair was Christina's.

As the music began, she hit the spoken note just as her vocal coach taught her, and did her best to make this song her own. _"After all that you put me through, you think I'd despise you. But in the end I wanna thank you, 'Cause you've made me that much stronger…"_

The crowd applauded and she saw Christina's arm move out from the chair. Her spirit fired up, her voice rose, and her face tensed as she hit each note to the best of her ability, filling the song with a rasp in her voice. _"Well I thought I knew you, thinkin' that you were true. Guess I, I couldn't trust, called your bluff-time is up, 'Cause I've had enough!"_ She strut to the right, her hair flew before her face and over her shoulders. _"You were there by my side, always down for the ride, but your joyride just came down in flames 'cause your greed sold me out in shame." _

Her eyes narrowed and her leg thrust down diagonally. _"__After all of the stealing and cheating you probably think I hold resentment for you, but oh-no you're wrong. 'Cause if it wasn't for all that you tried to do, I wouldn't know just how capable I am to pull through, so I wanna say thank you, 'cause it-"_ She tilt her head to the right and curved her elbow, clenching her fist before her teary, angered glare.

_"__Makes me that much stronger! Makes me work a little bit harder, it makes me that much wiser, so thanks for making me a fighter!" _She performed a front kick, raising her voice higher. _"Made me learn a little bit faster, made my skin a little bit thicker, makes me that much smarter, so thanks for making me a fighter."_ She saw a series of lights shoot out from Christina's chair, and her heart shot up to her throat as the woman's chair turned around. Her fist was pumping the air as Trina sang the song.

She continued, still spirited. _"__Never saw it coming, all your backstabbing. Just so you could cash in on a good thing before I'd realize your game. I heard you're going round playing the victim now, but don't even begin feeling I'm the one to blame, 'cause you dug your own grave! After all of the fights and lies 'cause you're wanting to haunt me, but that won't work anymore-no more-it's over! 'Cause if it wasn't for all of your torture, I wouldn't know how to be this way now and never back down, so I wanna say thank you, 'cause it…"_

Cee lo's chair as well as Adam's lit up and turned around, much to Christina's shock. Trina heard her favorite singer call them out while they merely laughed. Trina was still going, still with thoughts of her sister's friends on her mind. _"__It makes me that much stronger, maks me work a little bit harder, makes me that much wiser, so thanks for making me a fighter."_ Knowing her limit was nearly up, she started to bring down the energy and slow her pace so she could end on a strong, high note. _"__Makesm e learn a little bit faster, made my skin a little bit thicker, and makes me that much smarter, so thanks for making me…a fighter!"_ With that, she punched the air with her mic, earning a proud cheer from the coaches as well as applause.

Tori watched the screen with tears soaking her cheeks, just as her sister had tears in her eyes. She'd never been so proud of her sister for accomplishing something so terrific-but at the same time, her choice of song hurt. The only hurt she felt was that of guilt, that she would have to be the one she direct the song to.

Her friends had sour looks on their faces, but she could see in their eyes it was only shock that Trina had made three chairs turn around. "I bet we could turn all of them," Beck chimed. Tori threw her hands into the air, screaming loudly.

"What am I doing here with you?!" Her friends jerked back, their eyes widening as her range increased. "Don't even think I'm forgetting that she was pregnant when one of you cut that harness-but that's not even the biggest problem-I don't know why I ever started talking to you if you were going to just diss my family. She just went up there-sang her heart out in front of a lot of people-including one of her favorite singers-a song devoted to you guys and you have the gall to still think you're better?! Oh my fucking god!"

"Tori! Chill! There's-"

"I will not chill!" She shot up, grabbing her jacket off the couch. "That studio is only ten minutes away from here-I can make it. I know I can. I should be there, not here!"

"Tori!"

"Shut up!" She wiped her eyes and ran for the door. Her teeth clenched as she shoved it open. "I don't care what you do or where you go, we'll talk later-I need to be with my sister."

"Tori if you-"

"Beck that's enough," Jade lifted her hand and exhaled slowly as Cat gave her a concerned look. "Tori's right, this time we're…the ones messing up." Jade looked to the television and frowned.

"I didn't know you guys caused her so much grief," Cat remarked with a peculiar coldness in her tone. "I mean I know half the stuff you say is way out there, but really…Hope Tori gets there, no thanks to you guys."

On the stage, Trina studied the four coaches in a nervous silence. "What's your name!" Blake enthused. "I would have turned my chair, but I think it's obvious who you're going with-I don't know what Adam and Cee Lo were thinking." He curled his finger on his chin, laughing while Adam moved his hands to his head and Ceelo chuckled. Christina clawed her arms through the air, as though pulling Trina towards her.

"I'm Trina Vega."

"How old are you?"

"Twenty. I've been practicing a lot with my vocal coach."

"It's a big risk to sing one of our songs up here," Christina remarked, "I liked where your pitch and range were, and you had a rasp to your voice that helped you to sort of make it your own. I like that, you didn't just try to mimic what I do."

"Thanks."

"Why did you choose Fighter? That is a tough song."

"Well, your music has always inspired me, and that particular song itself really speaks to me. My sister has these friends of hers that have been on my back for years, telling me how horrible of a person I am. The worst thing they've done to me was put me in the hospital-your music-that song has really helped me get past all of them."

"Well you're stronger for it. You seem like a very strong and smart woman, I would love to have you on my team. You tell your coach she did her work. You do have a few things to work on, but I would love to help you improve! And of course, since you did choose _my_ song… " Christina bat her eyelashes at the men to her right and smirked as she leaned back in her chair. Trina chuckled slightly, struggling with her nerves.

"Don't get me wrong, I'm a big-big fan of Maroon 5 too!" Adam clapped his hands above his head, laughing as Ceelo took a heavy sigh. "Hard to Breathe is one of my favorite songs."

"So I have a fighting chance?" Adam smirked as Christina closed her eyes and shook her head.

"She's mine, Adam! Remember Trina, I pushed my button first."

Adam looked to Trina with a hopeful smile. "Well Trina, you've got a great voice, and you can do almost anything you like with it. What are your dreams regarding music?"

"I guess just to get better," She admitted, "To improve. It's a wonderful hobby, and something I can do to make money on the side. I also need money for college and to help pay for my wedding-"

"You're getting married soon?" Christina gasped.

"Yes!" Trina lifted her hand, showing off the stunning diamond ring. A grin stretched out on her face as Christina leaned forward.

"It is a beautiful ring."

"Thank you. My fiancé and I are hoping to start a life soon and he's been working as a teacher's assistant and I can't really start my career path yet. We want to move in together, to do everything on our own if we can, but it's a struggling start."

"So you need this show so you can start your new life?"

"Yes."

"That is noble," Ceelo shook his arms out and flashed an open smile. "You know what is also noble? My team, I can coach you all the way to the finish." Trina was eager to hear how this one would win her over the other two coaches. Christina and Adam turned to him, smirking confidently while Blake laughed, overjoyed not to be involved in this catfight. "I know you're inspired by these two, and clearly you enjoy Christina-she is a wonderful singer-but I can help you broaden the horizens."

"I won once," Adam retorted.

Christina flipped her hair over her shoulder and gave Trina a warm smile. "You look like you want to be a strong, independent woman with nothing holding you down."

"I do."

"Then I think we'll get along great, you don't want these guys holding you down." Trina chuckled softly and shook her head. "Also I wanted to point out how much I adored the emotion you put into that song. There are a lot of a singers who come in, sing a song, and it just sounds flat and meaningless, like karaoke, but I could feel the emotion radiating from you."

"I did have my sister and her friends in mind, as I said, they were the inspiration for this."

"Well, it's time for you to stand out from them, because you're a strong and independent woman-you don't need to listen to them. They don't define you, what's in your heart and soul are what defines you more than anyone or anything else ever can. I hope you'll let me help you to make your mark on the world, you certainly made an impact here."

"Thank you…" Trina felt a blissful sorrow rise up in her. She lifted her hand to wipe away the tears in her eyes as Blake asked her which coach she'd pick. She could hardly believe she actually made it here. She lifted her mic up to her quivering lips and cleared away the knot in her throat. "C-Can I just say, I appreciate your words and I admire all of you. I never thought I'd get a chair to turn until I came up here, I just kept replaying how they used to tell me, but my vocal teacher always said to be confident-be strong and independent-don't let anyone else ever get you down."

"That's right!" Christina nodded and clapped her hands.

"That's why I've always listened to music from Christina, Shakira…so I'm going to pick Christina." The audience applauded and Christina rose from the chair, singing a note as she threw her arms into the air for triumph. Adam and Ceelo applauded her and Blake welcomed her onto the show.

When she returned backstage to Carson, all the tension dropped from her and she threw her arms around her dad's neck. "I'm in, Dad!"

"I knew you'd do it," David remarked. "I'm proud of you." Courtney rubbed her back and Sinjin smiled patiently at her. When she saw him, she moved over and gave him a hug as well.

To their surprise, they saw Christina coming through the door to check on her. She straightened herself and met the singer's eyes with a shaky smile. "Trina, I wanted to say again how amazing you were out there. Really, you went out there in front of us, in front of an entire audience and sang with your heart-you are incredibly strong and talented, don't you forget that. Okay? Don't let anyone tell you otherwise, because you have potential to grow into an amazing woman-you already have."

"Thanks." Trina let herself be hugged by her idol and hugged back, holding her breath as she did so. "It's good to be working with you Miss Aguilera."

"I'm going to enjoy being your coach." Christina looked over to the older woman with curly brown hair and a round, stout figure. "Is this your vocal instructor?"

"Yes." The instructor shook Christina's hand and flashed an appreciative smile.

"You're teaching her wonderful things."

"Thank you," The woman replied, "I hope you'll teach her many things that I'm not able to."

Just then, the door swung open and sunlight filled the room. Trina looked to the doorway to see Tori, panting heavily and drenched with sweat. Her cheeks were wet with tears and her skin was slightly red. "Tori? What are you doing here?"

"I'm not too late?"

"No…I mean, I already sang, but-" Tori ran forward and threw her arms around her, taking her by surprise.

"I'm sorry, Trina. I love you, I'm proud of you and I'm happy you're my sister!" Trina chuckled nervously as everyone else watched with amused and pleasant expressions.

Trina chuckled awkwardly and lifted her hand up, patting her sister on the back. "Tori? What are you doing here? Again…"

"I wanted to be here to support you." Tori lifted her eyes up to Trina, sniffing. "I sped all the way here, don't even know how I got past security-" Trina glanced to the door in time to see two security guards watching them. She paled and her voice grew flat as her eyes dulled.

"You outran them, didn't you…"

"I just wanted to be with you. I'm sorry if I hurt you, sis. You're always my big sister and I'll always love you. More than I do my friends." Trina chuckled sheepishly while David motioned for the guards to go ahead and leave. "I don't care what they say…you did great out there. Did you make it?"

"Yeah, Team Christina." Tori laughed happily and looked to the singer, who was admiring the two sisters.

"You two have great chemistry together, don't ever forget the bond you have with each other. It'll last a lot longer than what you have with your friends, and it'll be all you have left some day when your parents have long gone…You two are sisters, you should be there for one another. I need to get back to the judging-are you two going to be all right?"

"Yeah I think so," Trina was more than happy to have her little sister with her now, though she never thought Tori would come anywhere near her when she was trying something like this. Maybe whatever distance had grown between them, they could work on.

After Christina left, Tori cheered for a second, realizing the stakes, "You get to work with your idol! That is amazing! I don't know what I'm going to do about my friends though…"

"Why do anything at all? All I ask is that you think of me. You really shouldn't let them do or say half the things they do…"

"I know, do you think I'm a terrible sister?"

"No. I just think you have a lot to learn. As for me, I'm staying away from those people. We can't be friends, doesn't mean you don't have to be."

"What if they're willing to give you a chance? I want them to respect you too."

"Honestly, I don't think there's anything that can fix what's wrong with them." Tori's shoulders fell and Trina reassured her with a smile. "Don't worry about it, I'm making plenty of my own friends in college. Remember Lindsay?"

"From years ago? Moved away when you were sixteen?" Lindsay was Trina's best friend back in the day, also the one that Tori's friends thought so hard to make her think didn't like her. "What about her?"

"She's at the university I'm going to come Fall. So we're reconnecting."

"Great! I'm going to have a talk with my friends though, I think they need to know where I stand…"

"Up to you. I've got some work ahead of me now, though." Trina looked to the stage door and took a deep breath as Tori hugged her waist again.

"You'll do it, sis. I'll be right here supporting you too with Dad, Sinjin, and Courtney." Courtney put her hands to her hips and smirked slightly as Tori wagged her eyebrows. "Supportin' my sister." Tori looked to Courtney again with deeper emphasis on 'my sister', which earned a laugh from everyone else.

Tori wouldn't take her sister for granted again, she didn't want to do anything to risk losing her or to make her sister resent her. If her friends were incapable of understanding that, then it was on them, not her, but she would do nothing to aggravate the already thin string between herself and Trina. No, she would do everything she could to strengthen the bond they once had when they were young. Nothing could sever that for her, not even her friends. Her sister was far too important to her.

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There it is. It's been bugging me watching the Voice, I just kept imagining Trina and this song, so I had to write it down. Hopefully you enjoyed the oneshot.


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